Posts Tagged ‘purchasing’

Earlier this week I showed you a few of my favorite items that you could snag using American Express Membership Reward Points. There were so many options to choose from, and I ended up making my picks based on how you could get the most bang for your buck. After all, why spend your hard-earned points on a $60 item when you could use the same number to get an item that would cost $150?

Today’s post centers around items that can be purchased for 50,000 membership rewards points {MRP} or less, and let me tell you – 50,000 is where it’s at! The gifts that can be purchased at this level are phenomenal and extend past “things” to include experiences. Seriously – I wish I had 250,000 MRP at my disposal so I could purchase one of each of the items or experiences below.

So let’s get to it, shall we?

Very few of you know me in real-life, but one thing you should know about me is that I absolutely detest housework. Cleaning, cooking, laundry… domestic activities are not even remotely my cup of tea. This might sound really ridiculous, but one of the most annoying things about vacuuming is the fact that you have to take the vacuum out of wherever it’s hiding, unwind the cord, plug it in, vacuum, then wind the cord back up, and put the vacuum back away. It’s work just to do the work! Yes, I am lazy. What of it?

This Dyson Multi-Floor Cordless Vacuum Cleaner caught my eye because I have heard nothing but great things about Dyson products, and also because it is perfect for someone like me that’s too lazy to even want to unwind a cord. Since it’s cordless, all you have to do is flip the switch and get to work. Perfect! Plus, it’s *free* if you have 49,600 MRP to spare.

I don’t know what kind of deal American Express has set up with Michael Kors, but he has many fabulous products that can be purchased using membership reward points! Today we have this beautiful Michael Kors Moxley Large Satchel, which would be perfect for weekend getaways! It’s a bargain too since this bag is a relatively pricey $398, but costs only 37,600 MRP.

I feel like I’m cheating a tiny bit with my choice of this Bose Wave Music System, but it is too good of a deal NOT to share! I feel like I’m cheating because normally this system would cost 61,800 points, but through the end of April they’ve marked it down to only 49,400. While this item may typically cost more than our 50,000 allotment, it’s a good reminder to look out for the bargain deals American Express offers in their rewards program. A 10,000+ point savings is huge, and you all know how much I love a good deal! Plus, with a $500 retail value, we are really getting into some big ticket items.

Here’s where things really begin to get fun, because at the 50,000 MRP level you can start redeeming your points for activities! In real life, there is absolutely no way you could convince me to pay $449-$549 for a Richard Petty Rookie Driving Experience. Do I think it would be fun and exhilarating? Absolutely. But that still doesn’t mean I’m ready to schill out that kind of money for a tour around a race track.

Thanks to membership reward points, however, this adventure would be *free* because you’d be using the points you had already saved up. Thanks to American Express you could get out there and try something amazing you may not otherwise ever get to experience.

Finally, speaking of experiences, do I ever wish I lived in NYC. OK, I wish this every single day, but here’s just one more perk to living in the Big Apple. 50,000 membership reward points will get you a roundtrip ticket between NYC and Vancouver! Vancouver is on the very top of my list of places to visit, and this opportunity to be able to travel there for free is incredible!

The price of flights is ever-changing, but last night I did a search and the cheapest flight I could find on this path was $629. 50,000 MRP will get you a flight that is otherwise pretty darn expensive.

The boyfriend and I are saving up our own MRP so that we can eventually use them to fund a vacation. We earned 20,000 points last year, which means that in just 5 years we could both be flying somewhere for free, assuming we find a deal as rad as this one. As I mentioned before, we use our card to pay for our everyday expenditures that we then split and pay off in-full at the end of each month. All of the points we’ve earned are for purchases we would have been making regardless of if we had a card or not, and this way we earn something for every purchase we make. So to get a *free* vacation, thanks to our everyday spending, is pretty darn awesome.

Up next week: My Favorite Finds for 75,000 points!

Giveaway:

American Express is giving one of you a $100 American Express gift card! I’ll be doing three of these posts and writing about the best deals that can be found using 25,000, 50,000 and 75,000 American Express membership rewards points.

To enter to win the gift card all you have to do is comment on one of the posts sharing the items you would like to purchase using membership rewards points.

This is one of the shortest sales, as it lasts only through the end of the day tomorrow, April 9, 2011. If you’re willing to shop quick you’ll save an additional 25% off your entire purchase – in-stores, online, AND at outlets!

To get the discount on in-store purchases and at the outlets, you must click on and then print out the image above.

If you prefer to shop online, enter promo code “FFSPR11” at checkout to receive the savings.

The best part about this sale, in my opinion? It IS valid on sale items! And, of course, the outlets, if you are lucky enough to live near one!

Want to save even more money on your purchase? Make sure you shop through cash back shopping site ShopatHome.com, where you’ll earn an additional 4% cash back on your order! PLUS, if you’re new to ShopatHome and you sign up through this link you will earn an additional $5 if you make your first purchase within 30 days of registering! I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again – cash back shopping is the best way to earn a little extra $$$ for the purchases you’re already making. It takes seconds to register and there’s no upkeep or sharing of personal information. Once you hit the payment threshold {normally $25} they will send you a check or issue you a paypal payment. It’s awesome! Once you have an account at ShopatHome.com, just do a quick search for Kate Spade and you’ll be on your way to earning 4% back + the $5 sign-up bonus!

Now on to the pretties. For any of you brides-to-be out there, did you know that Kate Spade just released a line of wedding-related products, including dresses, shoes, and baubles. Click here to check out the entire line.

My favorite item is this absolutely adorable “I Do” necklace, which would be a fantastic gift for any bride-to-be:

Cute, right? I saw this gem when I was at the Kate Spade store here in Chicago earlier this week and it is super cute. It costs a somewhat hefty $78, but with the Kate Spade Friends & Family Sale discount the price goes down to $58.50.

Like so many Boden offers, this is an affiliate-exclusive, so you must click through the links in this post to receive the discount. There’s no coupon code, so the way you’ll know you’re getting the discount is that a white box will appear toward the top of your Boden screen that says “20% off plus free shipping.” The discount will appear once you place the items in your cart.

It is worth nothing that the discount does not apply on any Boden “Limited Edition” items, all of which are plainly marked.

This offer is only valid through the end of the day tomorrow, April 2, 2011.

It’s so unfair of Boden to continue having these sales because I want one of every single item they sell and my wallet cannot handle the pressure. I know I’ve featured this Jersey Top Dress before, but I’m still deciding if it should be mine:

It has 26 fab reviews, and it’s incredibly cute. The only drawback is that it costs $98. Of course, with the coupon it is $78.40…

Tuscany is my favorite place in the world, so of course I want this gorgeous Tuscany Cardigan. It also costs $98, or $78.40 during this sale.

Finally, how fantastic are these Cropped Jeans? They’re pink! I could totes use a pair of pink jeans this summer… Normally $88, they’re $70.40 with the sale.

Fab news, ladies! Remember last week when I told you how much I was coveting a pair of Levi’s new Bold Curve Boot Cut Jeans? Well, I bought myself a pair and I love them! They fit my curves fabulously! The only issue is that I’m such a shortie that I have to get them hemmed. But that’s always the case with jeans that I purchase.

Oh wait, the plight of my own denim purchases probably isn’t of much interest to you, is it?

Well, how about this: Levi’s is offering all readers of Fantabulously Frugal an exclusive discount an exclusive discount on their new line of Curve ID jeans!

You must use one of the links in this post to access the sale. No coupon is necessary – as long as you click through this site you will automatically see the discounted price when you check out.

Check out these lovely Modern Demi Curve Skinny Jeans. Are they, or are they not, the perfect jean for spring? I love ‘em! Normally $98, during this exclusive sale they’ll cost a more reasonable $78.40.

If they are a little too, well, skinny jeans-esque for your taste, the Curve ID line offers many different fits and styles, designed to compliment all different body types. It’s also worth nothing that the jeans above are on the more expensive end of the price spectrum. Some Curve ID jeans cost as little as $59.50 regularly, or $47.60 after the discount.

I do have some sad news though – my coveting post was for a pair of the plus size Curve ID jeans, and it appears ALL of the plus sizes are currently out of stock. Major sad face! Hopefully Levi’s will get some more of them back in stock before the end of this discount period, and if they do I’ll be sure to let you know asap.

It is officially our favorite time of year around here! Nope, not Spring* … it is Friends & Family Sale season! Woot!

True story – when I started this site 2 years ago I was so confused by the number of Friends & Family Sales I was finding in March and April. Now I just embrace them because if you haven’t noticed, NOTHING has been on sale for the past few weeks. Hopefully you were saving up your pennies for the onslaught of sales we will likely see over the next few weeks.

Earlier today we had the biggest sale of the year at Bloomies, and now we have the Juicy Couture Friends & Family Sale! You can take 30% off your entire order during the sale period, which ends April 3, 2011.

I always equate Juicy Couture with those jumpsuits, but I was just skimming the sale section {of course!}, and they have some super duper cute clothing!

Isn’t this Cascading Sleeve Mixed Media Dress adorable?! It’s the perfect dress for summer! Originally $138, it’s now on sale for $89.99. After the additional discount it’ll cost $63.

Let’s get something straight: I do not in any way agree with Juicy’s assessment of this Pinked Petal Mini Dress. And by assessment, I mean there is no way this dress is a dress. Unless it is a mini dress because it is for a 12-year-old. I would likely wear it as a tunic because I think it is lovely and feminine , with a great design and great colors. Originally $198, it’s now on sale for $99.99. After the additional discount it’ll cost $70.

Good news, friends! The online portion of the Bloomingdale’s Friends & Family Sale is live now!!! Save an additional 20% on your entire order when you enter promo code “SPRINGFF” at checkout.

The Bloomingdale’s Friends & Family Sale applies to almost all full-priced and discounted purchases for women, men, kids, and the home. There are, of course, exclusions, which I will paste at the bottom. None of them are very surprising. Pretty much the most designer of the designer brands are excluded from this promotion. Also note that small electronics and men’s electronics will only be marked down 10%.

Online purchases over $150 will ship for free.

The online sale is live now, but the in-store sale will not go live until Wednesday, March 30, 2011. This offer will end both online and in-stores on Sunday, April 3, 2011.

American Express launched their Membership Rewards Points program 20 years ago, and to celebrate, they’ve enlisted the help of a few bloggers to show off what kind of things you can “purchase” using membership rewards.

Yours truly is one of the bloggers that will be participating in this challenge, and I’m pretty darn excited. The boyfriend and I have an American Express account, which is how we split all of our joint bills, like dog-related purchases and groceries. This account is perfect for us because it’s a charge card, meaning that we pay off the balance in full each month. We’ve had the account for a year but before now I’d never bothered even check out out what we can get with the points we have amassed.

That’s all about to change though and I’m going to become a Membership Rewards Pro. {or something.} Beginning next week, American Express is arming me with 150,000 membership rewards points and I will show you some of my favorite bargain picks for what can be purchased with 25,000, 50,000, and 75,000 points. We’ll discuss what items are truly good deals at each level. I’ve already begun searching for some of my choices to showcase and one of the things I’ve found that I love is that American Express offers special discounts on products for a limited time.

For instance, I found this deal on the new Membership Rewards tab on American Express’ Facebook Page:

Through March 27, an Xbox 4GB with Kinect Sensor costs just 31,300 membership rewards points, as opposed to the normal 62,600. 50% off is a heck of a deal, especially when you consider that you earn membership rewards points just for using your card. Thus, if you had 31,300 point saved up and you were in the market for a new Xbox and Kinect, this would be the perfect steal. It would not only be *free* to you – meaning no additional out of pocket expenditures – but you’d be spending fewer points than normal, too!

I really look forward to sharing my membership rewards bargain-hunter picks with you over the coming weeks!

And, of course – there’s a little something in it for one of you, too! American Express will be giving one of you a $100 American Express gift card for submitting your own ideas for how to make the most of Membership Rewards! Look for more information about the giveaway, as well as my first 5 picks for people that have 25,000 points or fewer, on Monday!

Who We Are

Shop Girl Daily (formerly Fantabulously Frugal) is a shopping blog for women. Each day we search the web for the best retail deals. For deals for babies, kids, moms, and moms-to-be, be sure to check out our sister site, Shop Mama Daily.